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Editorial
cre·a·tive/krē'ātiv/
Adjective: Relating to or involving the imagination or original
ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work: "creative
writing".
Noun: A person who is creative, esp. in a professional context.
When you search the definition of ‘creative’
through google, you come up with the
above. Typically, creativity is associated with
arts and design however we find that all
students from all disciplines create new and
original ideas daily. So the aim of this issue
was to engage as many students across
disciplines and showcase their creativity in
their respective fields.
One of my more recently acquired
creative talents is pinboarding on pinterest
(don’t judge!). Given my personal time
constraints this allows me to produce art on
the daily. Maybe in another lifetime, I will
get the opportunity to fine-tune my creative
dreams but for now this medium quenches
my artistic thirst.
The creative issue was designed in mind
to showcase as many creative students as
possible campus wide. Most contributors
have provided their own commentary with
their work, offering us more insight into
their creative minds.
It was an honour to get out and about
and meet all of the students featured and I
look forward to meeting many more!

President's
Tirade

Joing us at Building 1 on

Kia Ora Unitec
It’s time to get creative and man is Unitec
a good place to do it! Whether you are
painting or making jewellery in a padded
cell (yes we do that!), dancing acting or
making movies, the artsy crowd add life and
value to our community. This issue contains
some amazing examples of work produced
on campus and stories about the people
who make it happen.
The best way to experience the full
flavour of the creativity on campus is to get
amongst it. Keep an eye out for the plays,
shows and exhibitions that are always
running on campus. Coro fest (short for
choreography not coronation street) is a
favourite of mine. It’s a chance to feel high
brow for a few hours as you try to interpret
the interpretative dance. Also look out for
the Grad Show at the end of semester where
you will see the finest work produced by
our architects, graphic designers and visual
artists (plus free beer!).
That’s all, stay cool
Shannon

7

A Word
From the Dean
leon de wet fourie

executive dean, faculty of creative industries and business

welcome

22% more than Auckland’s workforce mean
income. Within the creative sector it is also
true that those in the creative segments of
digital content, advertising and marketing,
radio and television earn higher incomes than
those in visual arts, music and performing
arts.
Not only has the creative industries
become increasingly relevant as an economic
contributor, but it is also generally accepted
that the industries of the twenty-first century
will depend increasingly on the generation of
knowledge through creativity and innovation.
For example, contributing to growth in areas
such as education and manufacturing, by
adopting design-led principles and/or digital
tools and innovation.
Furthermore, the creative industries
contributes significantly to New Zealand’s
international profile, for example the
development of quality education resources
used by teachers around the world in the
fields of literacy, biology and mathematics
or industry-leading animation software that
evolved out of the New Zealand-made trilogy
The Lord of the Rings.
It is with great interest and pride that I
view student work in architecture, performing
and screen arts, landscape architecture,
computing, design & visual arts at the annual
GradShow. It is heartening to see how
your study programmes and student work
are keeping pace with the mind-boggling
transformative power of broadband internet
services particularly in developing digital
content and the delivery of products across
different media and platforms. I can only
conclude that the future of the creative
industries in New Zealand continues to be in
good hands!

The Creative Issue

What a wonderful privilege for us to
work, live and study in Auckland! A
city of unique and amazing opportunities:
great location, beautiful scenery, envied
size and scale, lovely climate, vibrant
colours, infectious energy, immersed
history and enriching ethnic diversity.
The potential of harnessing these
opportunities in an imaginative and even
courageous way in our work, play and
learning is bountiful. It is a canvas of
unrestricted outcomes! What a privilege
to have this as a back-drop if you are a
creative industries scholar!
Unitec continues to deliver on its
responsibility to contribute towards
growth, innovation, knowledge and
skills development in the creative
economy: performing arts, design, screen
production, advertising, architecture,
landscape architecture, visual arts, research
and development, crafts, fashion, music,
publishing, software, digital content, and
even video games.
Creatives make up nearly 9% of
Auckland’s total employment which is
greater than Sydney, even though Sydney
has a workforce three times the size of
Auckland. When compared with cities
of a similar workforce, Auckland has
approximately 70% higher creative density
than Perth and 50% higher than Brisbane.
The New Zealand creative industries
represent a massive economic driver and
creative employment generates almost
$3 billion each year in direct wages and
salaries. Over the past 10 years Auckland’s
creative employment grew at a faster rate
(an average of 5.5% per annum) than its
total workforce (3.3%). On average, those
in creative employment earn around

8

Alexis
Prebble

ALEXIS PREBBLE

The Creative Issue

Bachelor of design and visual arts 3RD YEAR

9

Chris
Pascual

Bachelor of design and visual arts 3RD YEAR
www.facebook.com/Pakito.Harlequino

The Creative Issue
Canvas acts as a diary that doesn’t
need words to understand how I feel.
I am showcasing (and selling) more
of my paintings at The Long Black Café in
Building 1, Mt. Albert Campus starting on
the 27th of August. My show will run for
two weeks (and is called “Chris’s Kisses”.
I am also doing a group show with my
fellow third year Visual Arts students also
starting, on the 27th of August. This will
be a silent auction and fundraiser, and all
proceeds go towards the Grad Show at the
end of the year. Bids close on Friday 31st
August and a Closing Night will be held
that night (5-7pm) at the Library Foyer in
Building 1, Mt. Albert Campus. So make
sure you come along, enjoy our hospitality,
and make a bid on some awesome
artworks (and, of course, free food and
booze will be provided).

CHRIS PASCUAL

I am currently undergoing my third year
of the Bachelor of Design and Visual
Arts where I am majoring in Visual
Arts (painting). I'm looking to carry on
showcasing my works to the public for they
are missing a lot of the good stuff in the arts.
To describe my works, they are: whacky;
gestural; quirky; abstract expressionistic;
experimental; confusing; playful. Upon
seeing these artworks for yourself I believe
you will agree too. With the varied amounts
of mark making all intertwining universally
to become one funky figure I intend the
viewer to question the depths of what they
are really seeing. Background is the figure?
Figure is the background? What is really in
front of us? It is these kinds of questions the
viewers will ask themselves. It will make the
viewer think twice (or maybe more) about
what is truly in their perception. Because
of this, it is a lot of fun seeing viewers really
look at the painting. Whether they are
squinting, looking at the fine details, or
questioning the very nature of the figure
they see. I believe this is what makes my
works stand out. Not only do I use a wide
funky range of colours that make you
reminisce an old school rap video or 70's
disco floor, but the FUN in painting (and
process) is evident in the final work.

DELENA NATHURAN

The Creative Issue

10

Delena
Nathuran
BDVA PhotographY 2ND YEAR
www.delenanathuran.com

My Mother co-owns a five-acre rural section in Swanson
with my grandfather. She has a three-bedroom home and
a separate 130sq metre barn/garage.
May the 13th 2012, 3pm. My phone rings and it’s my
sister in law, She sounds panicked and tells me there is
smoke coming out of the garage, and is my mother there?
She is really worried and curses the fire engine for taking
so long. I ask questions, feeling panicked and worried. I
hang up and call my mum. Your garage is on fire! I tell
her to head home and call me a.s.a.p. I try to call my sister
in law back but the phone is engaged. I feel sick. I tell
myself it’s fine, it’s just a little smoke it will be fine. I was
just there on Thursday wanting my Dad’s belongings out of
storage for a photo assignment. I’m thinking about all the
stuff that is in the garage. I call my mum, no answer. I feel
really worried but tell myself, it’s fine, it’s just small, the fire
engines will be there soon and it will all be ok. I try calling
back, no answer. I don’t want to call my mum as she is
probably driving. I pace around, restless, worried. It’s just
a garage! Thank goodness it’s not the house. But all the
stuff in storage, I’m worried. Most of the things I have left
of my dad's are in there, and all my childhood memorabilia,
my brother's business, my granddad's tools, my mum put
all my grandmother's stuff in storage, didn’t she? What has
mum got down there? My dad's 1968 Ford Mercury Cougar!
Oh no! Not the car. Half an hour later the phone rings. It’s
mum. She tells me it’s bad, it’s all destroyed. I cry and cry.
My five-year-old sits on my lap and wipes my tears, “what’s
wrong mummy, don’t cry”. I explain. He says “don’t worry
mummy, your dad died, he wont growl you that his stuff is
ruined”.
Two days later I went back with my camera.

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The Creative Issue

DELENA NATHURAN

12

Blake
Beckford

BLAKE BECKFORD

The Creative Issue

BDVA PAINTING 2ND YEAR
www.facebook.com/blakebeckfordart

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The Creative Issue

BLAKE BECKFORD

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ZOE ZHANG

The Creative Issue

Visual Weapon
Inspired by John Hearfield and
Banksyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of combined art
and politics and belief that art
has power to maintain and
change society. My work uses
photography as a political
approach to ridicule and go
against War. These images are
freedom of speech, peace, and
the constant struggle against
political hypocrisy. The aim is to
cultivate a consciously cynical,
critical and political content
mixed with humour and irony.
This series of constructed settings
or outdoor environments with
soldier dolls is to inform black
humour combined with a
message of anti-war protest.

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Zoe
Zhang

BDVA Photography 3RD YEAR

The Creative Issue

Zoe has been a graphic designer
for a few years. She has been using
photography as a core medium for art
inspiration and ideas. Her passion for
learning and experimenting social issues
is linked with her fine art photography.
Zoe was born and grew up in China; she
has been living in New Zealand for over
ten years. As a new migrant, she has been
influenced by both Western and Eastern
culture of art. Zoe’s primary focus has been
on identity, with its highly conceptual yet
simple composition. Her vision of lighting,
eye for composition, and unique way
of seeing colours, enables her to create
extraordinary images out of ordinary. Zoe’s
work has been exhibited in the Auckland
photography festival. She has been an
awarded several design and photography
awards internationally and locally. For
example, winner of the “Coexistence” in
Tertiary Category; Finalist of “HeXie” Awards
in China; finalist of AIPA Imagenation 2012.
Her photography also has been published
in Threaded magazine. Zoe is finishing her
final year of a Bachelor of Design and Visual
Arts, majoring in photography at Unitec
New Zealand.

ZOE ZHANG

ZOE ZHANG

The Creative Issue

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Belonging
This project explores the
experiences of cultural
difference. As a young Chinese
new immigrant living in New
Zealand for over 10 years, I have
drawn on the idea of home and
loneliness, and interrogated the
notion of confusion in the sense
of belonging. My photographic
work focuses on the emotional
conflicts and struggles that
emerge in the space between
two cultures. Together with
the lamentations of the loss
of identity, my photography
allegorically represents the
internal motivation behind
the civic social ideology of
Chinese migrants. This series
of object-based photographs
also contains elements of The
self-portrait and is informed by
first-hand travel experiences,
and an observation of conflicts
of cultures, understandings and
ideas. Capturing the conflicts
of contemporary Chinese life,
I have staged compositions
offer a consideration of the idea
between the ‘missing’ and the
‘finding’.

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unitec social practice
sound, Keith formed the band Concrete
Jungle, which is starting to gain some
recognition and potential, making the Battle
of the Bands NZ finals. Concrete Jungleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
music is a unique original sound, mixing
ideas from rock, hip hop, funk, R&B and
reggae.
Keith's goal in music is to get exposure
in the mainstream while still holding his
studies as the main priority. Although his
music has a range of themes, he is in the
process of writing more conscious music
that outlines the impacts of globalisation
towards people in the struggle. His views,
which range from post modernist, socialist
to feminist perspectives, will at times be
heard through the music and hopefully
one day provide awareness for the people
regardless of race, ethnicity, social status
and gender.
KEITH'S NEXT GIG: NZ Battle of the Bands
Final.
WHERE: Kings Arms, 59 France St, Newton,
Auckland central.
WHEN: Friday 31st August 2012, starts
around 7pm.
WHO: 16 bands from all over the country.

KEITH FILO

Keith is a 33year old, 1st year Social
Practise student, father of 2 and also
frontman in a band known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Concrete
Jungle.â&#x20AC;? He was born and raised in a
diverse, multi-cultural working class
environment in central Wellington, but now
considers Auckland home.
After spending 4 years as an
infantryman in the NZ Army (1RNZIR),
He became a youth worker in various
agencies, inspired by the struggles he faced
throughout his upbringing which relate to
relative poverty. This influenced his decision
towards studying Social Practise at Unitec.
His goal is to become a qualified social
worker to help families and communities in
need, prefereably in the working class.
So far he has achieved an -A grade
point average and a scholarship under the
Men's Health Trust NZ, which has really
helped to alleviate some financial stress
as a student and father in a committed
relationship.
While studying he also balances his life
with family time and music. During Keiths
time in the millitary he began hearing
musical ideas which led him towards buying
a synthesizer in order to bring these sounds
to life. In search of a more live and raw

The Creative Issue

Keith
Filo

18

Desmond
Lam On studying Architecture abroad in Germany

The Creative Issue

Architecture

DESMOND LAM

ABOVE: ECO-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GARDENS

What comes to your mind when you hear
the word Europe? Beer? Eifel Tower?
Mercedes Benz and BMW? Mona Lisa?
Escargots? Colosseum? Pickpockets?
Leaning Tower of Pisa? What about
the grassy smell of marijuana in
Amsterdam?
Well luckily for me, I was able to
experience all of that and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all because
of Unitecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Outbound Student Exchange
Programme in Wismar Germany. The 5
month adventure was truly a once in a
lifetime opportunity to live in a new city
and experience a new culture that greatly
expanded my perception of the world and
furthered my personal growth. My time in

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The Creative Issue

ABOVE: CHILDRENS PUBLIC SPACE

at the end of the semester (I still can’t get
over that haha!). Also, they had very little
lectures which meant I only had classes 1
day a week. That’s right, 6 day weekends!
Okay I admit, I must’ve skipped a few
lectures here and there. What I noticed
was their strong focus on self-learning and
motivation which I had to get used to and
by the end of the semester, I had adapted to
their style of learning and working.
Studying in another country was
definitely worth it and gave me the
opportunity to experience architecture
from the other side of the world in real life.
Instead of looking at slide shows full of
photographs or reading about architecture

that was so far away, I was be able to
experience architecture in real life, in person.
Being able to physically touch, smell, taste,
walk through and see iconic buildings was a
magnificent feeling. The exchange brought
the feeling of experiencing architecture
to a whole new dimension, one which a
two-dimensional photograph could never
convey, no matter how colourful or well
composed. Because of the exchange, my
architectural knowledge was developed
further and I was able to take my passion for
architecture to the next level. Thanks Unijet!

DESMOND LAM

Germany was a real-eye opener for me, and
I have gained many valuable memories and
experiences. I made friends I’ll never forget
about and went to places I had only seen in
movies and could only dream about.
During my epic travels around Europe,
I also completed Semester 1 of my final year
of my Architecture degree. Not knowing
German beforehand was definitely a bit
troublesome, but luckily I was surrounded
by friendly professors who spoke fluent
English and helped immensely. In terms
of class structure and how we were taught
information, it was very different compared
to studying at Unitec. All the papers I took
were solely project based, so I had no exams

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sam molyneaux

The Creative Issue

Elyse brock: “I enjoy being surrounded by people who share the
same drive and see things the same way i see things.”

Every year the Performing and Screen
Arts Department here at Unitec is
releasing new up and coming talent into
the industry whether they be Actors,
Directors, Writers, Technicians, Dancers
etc.
The thing that separates Unitec from
other Performing Arts Institutions in the
country is that they incorporate every
major throughout their learning which in
turn allows them to leave their academic
career with a network of “creatives” who can
then go on to make their own works and
establish a name for themselves.
Coming up in September is an example
of this. Goddess, which is a part of a double
bill that’s going on at The Basement Theatre,
is a project that was written and produced
by a Unitec graduate, Sam Brooks. The cast
includes actors Taofia Pelesasa and Elyse
Brock, who are also Unitec graduates, and
a current student, Amanda Tito, who is
using this as part of her secondment which
applies to her curriculum. All technical
components such as stage management,
lighting, sound and AV are being executed
by current students Amber Molloy, Tanya
Furssedonn and Jaz Davis. Finally, Goddess
is directed by a Unitec graduate: yours truly.
Goddess details the idiosyncratic,
simultaneously troubled and blissful
friendship between two people who
couldn’t appear more similar, or be so

fundamentally different. A visual delight,
Goddess explores the lines that blur memory
and reality, and how close we hold our own
experiences to us. It is a darkly comic story
which will chill you to your core.
Both stories being told during this double
bill are new, original works by Sam Brooks and
delve into places that society often forgets.
We enjoy exploring and pushing boundaries,
addressing issues and making statements that
are often lost in other forms of media.
If you would like to come and support
your graduates and Unitec students, and also
see two great pieces of theatre for the price of
one, then head to www.iticket.co.nz and book
your tickets For the “Goddess & Mab’s Room
Double Bill”.
The season runs from the 4th-8th of
September at The Basement Theatre in the
CBD.
Written by Samantha Molyneux

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Taofia Pelesasa: “This piece is even more rewarding because a friend wrote it, a
friend is directing it and I’m on stage with friends.”

The Creative Issue

Samantha Molyneux: “This is all an independent endeavour. We pay for it ourselves, we do
the work ourselves, we source everything ourselves and gain the support of generous and
amazing people who help us bring our vision to fruition. It’s a labour of love.”

sam molyneaux

Amanda Tito: “I like the moment when I
see the world. It might not necessarily
be when I pick up the script, but when
it becomes clear it puts me in my happy
pants.”

Eva Martin

Eva
Martin

The Creative Issue

BDVA Graphic design 3RD YEAR

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The Creative Issue

Eva Martin

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certificate in applied technology

furniture & cabinet making

The Creative Issue

Furniture &
Cabinet
Making
Bachelor of Communications fist year
student Nicki Spring visits students at
work in the Certificate of Furniture and
Cabinet Making.
Here and now we explore the
unexplored and kick it with the sixteen
students currently completing the
certificate in furniture and cabinet making.
In all honesty, if my past experience with
woodwork was anything to go by, I had no
idea what to expect…which looking back
was probably the best.
Jaw dropped and completely in awe I
asked around the wood work room to find
out ‘Why? What? When? How? And lastly,
WTF?’ Because it’s not every day I run out of
words—just ask around if you don’t believe
me—but in that room I was in awe.
Let’s not assume though, to get it out
there, that this class was completely ‘repping’
it for the boys, a couple of girls had their
hands in there too. Anna Wong, uninterested
with the prospect of a desk job took to
woodwork with her own creative flare;
merging functionality and artistic direction
to produce pieces that in production looked
pretty wicked—don’t quote me on that.
That was just the start of it though, with
works that ranged from miniature marine
cabinets to massive marine cabinets—guess
which one is harder—made by students
either fresh from high school, or fresh out of
jobs better left behind them. Fresh ideas that
resonated in the room included transformers
and circular book shelving; it makes
everything I ever came up with in woodwork
look like child’s play.
‘The Shane’, Matt Logan, Tim Simpkin,
just to name a few are steadfastly looking
forward to their futures …there’s talk of
opening specialty stores or even crossing the
ditch and testing the tools of the trade there.
The world is their oyster and I cannot wait to
see the size of that pearl!

images by natalie wilcox

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The Creative Issue

furniture & cabinet making

NICO rivera
The Creative Issue

26

27

BDVA Interior Design 2ND YEAR

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.”
~Morrie Schwartz

NICO rivera

For my theatre set design brief, I’ve
chosen the two man play “Tuesdays with
Morrie” by Jeffrey Hatcher. The story
is based on an autobiographical novel by
Mitch Albom.
The play follows the final moments of
an old and terminally ill sociology professor
Morrie Schwartz and how he teaches his
friend and former student Mitch about the
meaning of life, love and death.... every
Tuesday.
The concept behind this layout was to
introduce elements of domesticity and to
present hints of metaphors that relate back
into the story. Hints, like the hospital green
colours which represent Morrie’s constant
need for medical care and the hibiscus
plant that slowly withers as Morrie’s
condition gets worse.
The main focus of this design was the
final scene; after Morrie passes away. The
back wall opens up to reveal the final scene
of Morrie’s ideal burial site which was on a
hill, under a tree, next to a park bench, overlooking the sunset.
At this point in the play, while Mitch
narrates his final moments with Morrie,
Morrie’s character gets up from his
deathbed and slowly makes his way to the
final scene where he does a slow waltz with
himself.

The Creative Issue
While this year has seen Tina and Nate
work closely on numerous community
based projects, their current project
“Tahi Kai” is their design concept to raise
awareness on child poverty in NZ.
Tahi Kai is an online notice board that
will focus on the community sharing food
and resources to create awareness around
child poverty.
With the use of positive branding our
intention is to empower the community,
and by using our website we encourage
sharing, giving and building communities
which is the key to solving social issues.

asinate moa / tina pihema

Asinate Moa and Tina Pihema are 3rd
year Graphic Design students at Unitec.
This talented duo bonded over ham
and cheese sandwiches in 2010 and a
mutual love of music, fashion and the
arts. This random friendship was destined
for good things. Amidst their studies,
and foraging for food, an unexpected
opportunity arose to collaborate together.
Forces were joined to provide an in
depth mapping of a local project in 2011.
Point Chevalier Homestead was the obvious
choice for the dynamic duo given its close
proximity. The project promoted their
strong working relationship which allowed
them to work on their current project “Tahi
Kai”.

My name is Sanji Karu and I am studying
the Bachelor of Design and Visual
Arts: Photography major at Unitec. I
came to New Zealand about 4 years ago
to study Automotive Engineering. Back
then photography was a hobby for me. I
have always liked photography and had
great interest, but I never had the money
to pursue it. As time went by, and my
interest and dedication grew, I started
photographing events and concerts. In 2009
I was presented with the opportunity to
photograph a performing group at Rhythm
& Vines. This was the turning point for me;
I had finished my automotive course but
I had not enrolled in the Bachelor. After
photographing at R&V 2009, I arrived at the
decision to enrol in photography. Since then
I have explored many different genres of
photography. I felt that I should explore my
strengths and weakness to figure out what
areas I may apply to my practice. I use the
alias Skar Aesthetics for my photography
practice.
In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world digital photography
has allowed a lot more people to
photograph whatever they are interested
in. I have always had a fascination with film
photography, but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know much about
it. I have great respect for anyone who is
confident using a manual film camera.
You have to be pretty competent with
your technical skills when operating a film
camera. I purchased my first film camera
in 2011; it was a 1975 Nikkormat FT2, full
manual. I also picked up a 1972 Olympus
OM-1 later that year, which is also manual. I
felt that shooting on film would improve my
digital shoots. We often take for granted the
amount of pictures we can take with digital
cameras. Shooting on film made me slow
down and think before I took a photo. I had
to measure the amount of light in the scene
in order to pre-visualize the final image. The
development process in film photography
is more hands on; I had to learn how to
physically develop my negatives in a lab

31

The Creative Issue

sanji karu

sanji karu
The Creative Issue

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The Creative Issue

(something which I have never done before).
The images that I am showcasing are
some of the first few rolls of 35mm film that
I have shot. I mainly shoot film in my free
time, but eventually I would love to include
it in my practice. Some of these images are
taken at Unitec and others from my holiday
in Melbourne.
I hope you enjoy these images, please
feel free to check out my portfolio, blog and
Facebook page for more images. Comments
and feedback is much appreciated.

sanji karu

34

Misha
Uteev

WERT159

misha uteev

The Creative Issue

Bachelo

Russian-born architecture student with
a passion to graffiti, renowned for his
graffiti art paintings, I create under the
name WERT159 since 2006. Starting as an
illegal tagger and bomber, I soon changed
my directions towards legal graffiti artworks
where conditions permit to explore and
create more complex painting. In search
for style, over years portraits were always a
dominant source for inspiration. Going from
realistic to abstract interpretation of portraits
is my latest journey that yet has not came to an
end. I like painting faces, people can relate to
them to a degree that letter graffiti cannot. My
work is contributing to the city scape in positive
way; I hope to show that if one uses spray-paint
does not mean that he is a talent less vandal. I
hope to inspire others to create, to take art to the
streets, which should not be solely for advertising
things you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need or worth, being grey.
I am now in my 3rd year BAS programme,
combing two passions is hard. However I always
try to cross integrate these fields. Architect can
learn from graffiti and vice versa. On top of that I
am interested in photography, screen-printing and
all other art media that I can get my hands on.

r Of Arc

d ie s
ral Stu
u
t
c
e
it
h

3 RD YEAR

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The Creative Issue

misha uteev

misha uteev
The Creative Issue

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image nigel robert

The Creative Issue

misha uteev

NICK BAILLiE

The Creative Issue

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Nick
Baillie

BDVA Graphic Design 3RD YEAR
www.nickbaillie.com

Nick Baillie is a graphic designer and
type student from Auckland, New
Zealand.
Baillie is passionate about typographic
design and undertakes projects with
a strong focus on the content and
communication of design. Each project
is considered for its environmental and
cultural contexts and his work explores
the multiple ways in which typographical
language intersects with design formats.
Baillie has employed and applied the
conventions of type and image across a
number of different fields: from magazine to
web and advertising.
He is currently seeking out industryaligned and self-authored projects that
provide an opportunity to critique and
expand these conventions in order to push
boundaries and locate his own aesthetic
modality.
Baillie has guest designed for Threaded
Magazine, in addition he has interned at
Gopher and produced work with various
clients including: Billabong, Threaded, The
Rugby Site, Unitec Contemporary Craft,
UCSA and more.

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The Creative Issue

NICK BAILLiE

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Renee
Lyons

renee lyons

The Creative Issue

Graduate Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts

Jayne King talks
to Performing and
Screen Arts graduate
Renee Lyons.

Renee Lyons graduated from Unitec
in 2008, with a Unitec Bachelor of
Performing Screen & Arts. Credits to
her name include working on the TV3
smash hit –Super City with Madeline
Sami and a list of theatre credits to boot.
From this list two notable standouts are
TOYS (written by Natalie Medlock and
Dan Musgrove) and Joseph & Mahina
(which she wrote with buddy Tom
Sainsbury and acquired her a best NZ
play nomination at the Chapmann Tripp
awards).
This talented actor and writer was in
the middle of wrapping up her solo show
and was in preparation to perform in The
Laramie Project: 10 Years Later when I was
given the opportunity to catch up with her
for a chat.
Slightly out of breathe and anxiously
excited I smiled and proceeded to talk
business with Renee Lyons.
Can you tell me about your current solo
show that you are working on?
Most recently I have been working on my
solo show…it is based on a (true) story
about a guy (Nick Chisholm) based in
Dunedin. It’s a pretty awesome story! It
grabbed me a couple of years ago, but I had
to wait for the right moment to make the
show.
This show right now has been the
project I’ve enjoyed the most, because the
idea was quite close to me. I knew the guy
that I wrote the show about…I knew his
brother, not very well… but I realised later
on that I knew him.

Are you from Dunedin?
No, but I went to University in
Christchurch…and his brother went there.
I went to Dunedin and met with everybody
that’s in the play, and I just feel really
connected to the story.
It’s been awesome because I’ve been so
in control of it myself and with my director.
It’s been a really great sort of seamless and
fun collaboration.

After graduating from Unitec, how did
you find that first initial leap in to the
industry? Was it how you imagined?
I didn’t really think that far ahead. I went
straight out and worked on the Silo
ensemble project. It was two plays in a
relatively short time. So it was like “theatrical
boot camp”…but it was professional and
really fun. There were eight of us and we
were doing a devised work and a classical
play. So I leapt in to that and thought “Great,
this is the way it is!”
And then that was it for ages!
Worked sort of dried up and then
there was nothing going… it was kinda
disheartening and challenging.
What advice do you have for graduate
students moving in to this field?
I think it’s really important just to keep
working on your own stuff even when
you have to work on jobs that are soul
destroying…they can zap the creative
energy right out of you. But it’s important to
keep resilient for that not to happen.
We had a forum last night after our

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Have you had any influences along your
journey?
Aidee Walker (she’s also a Unitec grad and
Actress). She’s doing this show with me.
I really wanted to do my solo, but I was
kind of procrastinating and then she said
lets do it together as a double bill. Aidee
and Abigail Greenwood drove the funding
process. Support and pressure from those
guys made me do it and… I’ve actually
created probably the best thing I’ve ever
made…by having their support.

Looking back on your journey, was there
anything you would have changed? Was
there a strategy?
No it hasn’t been and that is what I would’ve
changed! Now it’s gonna be strategic. I think
it’s gotta be otherwise you end up doing
other things…like I have two degrees…
and it’s about being smarter and being
confident and making better choices.
Lastly Renee tells me about THE
LARAMIE PROJECT: 10 YEARS LATER:
It is the epilogue to the iconic Laramie Project.
Edited together from interviews within the
community of Laramie, Wyoming following
the murder of Matthew Shepherd in an
apparent hate crime. The epilogue is 100%
verbatim with 8 actors playing a multitude
of roles, from cops to priests, mothers to
criminals.
You can see Renee performing in The
Laramie Project: 10 Years Later (28 August8 September). You can find more information
about this at www.basementtheatre.co.nz

renee lyons

Has anyone inspired you or helped fine
tune your professional skills?
A woman that I have become friends
with– Anna Marbrook, she works here, at
Unitec sometimes–directing plays. She also
writes and directs for film. She has always
really encouraged me and she met with
me one day and said... [something really
nice that Renee asked me not to print–wish
granted!]...and that she would be willing to
support me in what ever way she could to
help…. It’s been more just the fact that she
was willing to invest that in me that made

me go “I must be alright.”
I did this 15 minute monologue… and
just her response to that made me go “oh
now it's time for me to go and write a solo
show. So that moment! [Renee warmly
shares the fact that Anna’s unaware of this]
That moment made me go, “Right that’s my
next thing!”

The Creative Issue

show and I met this Spanish director and we
were talking about this same kind of thing...
And she was saying, “You have to get up
each morning, think about, write about, and
take the time to be in your thing before you
start your day. So start the day and inject
that in to your life!”
The more I go on, the more I realise that
I can make money from the things I actually
enjoy.

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Contemporary
Jewellery

ayako kusuzawa

The Creative Issue

Ayako
Kusuzawa

Qing
Ye

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The Creative Issue

qing ye

44

Brad
Elliot

brad elliot

The Creative Issue

Certificate in Applied Technology (Furniture and Cabinetmaking) 2nd semester
Seen it, lived it, done it and come back!
With a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design)
from Elam (1995-1999), you’d have thought
Brad Elliott was set for life and enjoying a
career in graphic design…right?
You’d have thought so, but even a
career you’ve had to work for isn’t enough to
satisfy you.
With the intent to complete a degree
in sculpture, Brad did what a lot of us
dream of doing and took a gap year after
his foundation year, to explore Europe.
After hitting up every major art gallery and
museum he could find, given he’d visited a
lot of countries—France, Spain, Netherlands,
Denmark, Germany, Poland, Austria, Czech
Republic, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy with
a pit stop in Hong Kong before coming
home—Brad saw a few.
Has anyone ever been drawn to the
furniture in a café? Well, the more Brad saw
of Europe, the more he experienced, the
more he was drawn to chairs and tables
and all the intricacies we would probably
overlook.
But still, when his time abroad was up,
he returned to his degree and although
he changed his major from sculpture to
design, Brad did continue with his bachelor,
and upon completion worked for nearly a
decade at a graphic design/screen-printing
company as an artist/graphic designer.
Nine years is a long time to work with
any company, but when the company Brad
worked for changed hands, at 37 years
old, Brad was left asking himself “what do I
really want to do for the rest of my life?” In a
MasterChef (hopeful contestant) moment,
he decided it was time to do what he
wanted to do and follow a dream—to make
and design furniture.
It’s with great pride and an obvious
sense of accomplishment that’s almost
palpable you understand how much Brad
enjoys what it is he’s currently working on
(a marine cabinet), and looks forward to
his future projects (campaign furniture—
inspired of course by his OE). So, just like
the MasterChef contestants, Brad proves it’s
never too late to do what want you want—
even if you’ve been half way around the
world and back again.
Written by Nicki Spring

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Reece
King

Bachelor of design and visual arts 3rd year

make it straight. Then I will come along with
my broom and silk and erect a beautiful city,
a city made of stars.
Speaking of stars I also study celestial
objects (such as stars, planets, comets,
nebulae, star clusters and galaxies) and
phenomena that originate outside the
atmosphere of Earth (such as cosmic
background radiation). It is concerned
with the evolution, physics, chemistry,
meteorology, and motion of celestial
objects, as well as the formation and
development of the universe and sociaty.
and stuff that involves the study of matter[1]
and its motion through space and time,
along with related concepts such as energy
and force.[2] More broadly, it is the general
analysis of nature, conducted in order to
understand how the universe behaves, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
physics. And philosophy, and mind stuff .Is
Painting dead? Uhmm I stand out from the
rest because I stand out.
I do painting, sculpture, installation, and
every kind of art.

The Creative Issue

Counter culture movement. Like
bohemian (but not like all hippy dancing
around a central fire) cos the now art of
NZ is not like bohemian at all, well the
mainstream. I like Punk aesthetics, like with
GRUNGE, underground, minimalistic, Avantgarde ish, post modernish, iconoclastic
and satirical sensibilities, but then go to
the gym too, and work out, and be healthy
-( I am sculpture). A NZ new wave -Art. To
take down the Art hipster (s)(?). Gota take
them down, the ones who are personally
responsible for destroying the art world.
I am going to get employed by the
target (NZ art) so it will be easier to infiltrate
the mechanics of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; empire. I will be
responsible for the entire scripted to be
washed away, cleansed.
I will tip letters of terps down the strip
(NZ art), so it will be cleansed, and then set
on fire. It wont just singe there hair, it will

reece king

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NEED
HOSE IN
WINGS

The Creative Issue

T
HELPING

hall
by jay

jay hall

Jay Hall is the Red
Bull Student brand
Manager at Unitec.
He comes along to all
our awesome Unitec/
USU events to keep
Unitec students
stocked up with Red
Bull.

FINDING MY WINGS

I don’t know about all of you guys
but my Unitec calendar has been
action packed, full of excitement and
adventure. Semester one has been full of
EPIC events brought to students by Unitec,
USU and Red Bull, providing a much needed
break from the monotony of student life.
From the high flying thrills of Paper
Wings, the mysteriousness of Airdrop, the
door to door service at your dorms, the
energy pumping lounges, to the kind of
help you actually want during exams, a lot
has gone down.
I have somehow managed to jump
on board of all the major events USU
has thrown your way, from SOUNDS IN
THE SUN, The International Food Days,
eBooks give you wings to the TERTIARY
CHALLENGE (we kicked ass by the way).
Don’t worry if you have missed out
there is much more to come this semester.
We have BCONE— dropping in Auckland,
which will be HUGE, we have Doodle Art for
all the creatives out there, we have the 3on3
Bull Jam and much more.

FUTURE FLIGHT

We have some EPIC competitions coming
your way this semester from Red Bull
Doodle Art, to Bull Jam. The Bull Jam
3on3 competition is going to be held at
Unitec Sports Centre, there are spaces for
15 teams of 4, and each athlete will receive
a competitor pack crammed to the brim
with EPIC goodies. It is scheduled for Friday
the 5th October from 12-4pm, so make sure
you’re free to get involved in this amazing
FREE event.
The event is result of a beautiful
partnership between USU and Red Bull, with
a whole heap of sponsors jumping on board
to give us students a kick ass, FREE, event.
The sponsors include Skullcandy, Basketball,
Waitakere West Auckland, Coast2Coast
Basketball apparel, Burgerfuel, PUMA and
some Live performers. There will be spot
prizes for spectators, final two teams and
the winning team so make sure you register
your teams. Information will be posted on
the USU Facebook page, and the student
media blog. I look forward to hitting up your
21sts, student balls, and lecture theatres this
semester whilst studying hard.

OF

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ENERGY LO

UNGE

COMPETITIO

N

LP DESK

ACTUAL HE

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCKING

, SOUL

BODY

Grand Prize: A personal Red Bull
Cooler branded with your winning
Doodle and filled with Red Bull for a
year! Plus, a canvas recreation of the
artwork for your wall at home.
Second prize: A case of Red Bull
Energy Drink plus a canvas replication
print of your Doodle. Both prizes will
be announced at a private party
where the top doodlers from UNITEC,
AUT and Auckland University get to
go and celebrate their Picasso-like
talents.
All dates for the doodle art
competition will be on the Red
Bull New Zealand website, Student
Media Blog www.studentmediahub.
com, USU’s Facebook page, and on
posters around campus. Last year
some amazing talent was discovered
at both Massey and Vic, but let’s face
it – we’re New Zealand’s most creative
campus. Let’s show them what we’ve
got and have a Unitec student take
Doodle Art out this year!
Jay Hall
Red Bull SBM Unitec

jay hall

MIND,

at a pop up gallery on campus. Here,
students can come and check out all
the best doodles and vote for their
favorites. Next, the top doodlers
along with guests will be chosen
and invited to a private exhibition
evening where the winners for 2012
will be announced.

The Creative Issue

TERTIARY CHALLENGE

Picasso did it in Math class and
Warhol in Accounting, so what’s
stopping you? We at Red Bull want
all you Unitec students to enter their
doodles. This semester doodle cards
will be coming to a lecture theatre or
classroom near you - simply flip them
over and start doodling your best work
of art using pens, pencils, highlighters,
or whatever you can get your hands
on! You have two weeks from mid
September to drop your marvelous
products of procrastination into drop
boxes around campus.
Doodle Art is essentially an oncampus doodling competition that
is hosted by Red Bull. Students can
be as creative as they like with their
doodles and submit as many entries
as they want, although only one entry
will be chosen to go through into the
top 40. There will be Pop-Up Galleries
on campus to show of the best artistic
creations Unitec has to offer. Each will
be framed and put on display, and then
you must vote for your favorite doodle.
The Red Bull Wings team will be
around campus once the competition
has started. They will answer any
questions you have, hand out doodle
cards and they can also collect finished
doodles – of course, also giving you
a cold can of Red Bull to get those
creative juices flowing. Once the
submission period of two weeks is over,
the top 40 will be chosen and displayed

James Sievers was one
of three Unitec Master of
Architecture students that
did one semester exchange
in India this year at Centre for
Environmental Planning and
Technology University (CEPT
University) January to June
2012.

Â

Master of Architecture

James Sievers

JAMES SIEVErs

The Creative Issue

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The Creative Issue

JAMES SIEVErs

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Sisters
of Verve
The Creative Issue

Star clustered up
And sister stuck
The firebrands of Matariki
Are back in the
House for Winter!
Exuding and beaming
Magical wherewithal
And the airs and graces
Of the uppity ancients
Their fast flying words
Set the fires
Of hearts and minds
Leaping and flaming!
The sisters of verve
Are sisters of verb
Their word, rhythm
And verse!